Nepal’s Bio-Engineered Flood Barriers Bring Hope to Farmers

For five years, Ram Pati Mahato, a 50-year-old farmer from Ratnanagar-9 in Chitwan, had given up on planting paddy in his seven-kattha land due to frequent flooding and erosion caused by the nearby Khageri river.

However, after a bio-engineered flood barrier was constructed along the riverbank last year, Mahato has regained hope of planting paddy again. The barrier, built with the support of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Nepal, has reduced the frequency of flooding and erosion in the area.

The 125-meter-long barrier was constructed using local materials such as bamboo, sand, and plastic bags, with an investment of Rs 607,000. The structure has been reinforced with grasses and shrubs to make it more durable.

According to Meghnath Paudel, chairman of the Milijuli Madhyabarti Community Forest User Group, which constructed the barrier, around 200 families have benefited from the project. Paudel claims that the bio-engineered barrier is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly compared to traditional concrete structures.

Similarly, the Chaturmukhi Madhyabarti Community Forest User Group in Ratnanagar has also constructed a 150-meter-long bio-engineered barrier to control river erosion in the forest area. The group’s secretary, Balkumari Shrestha, says that the method has been effective in controlling erosion and protecting arable land, pasture areas, and forests.

Hydrologist Ajay Dixit also believes that bio-engineering-based disaster mitigation methods can be effective. He notes that developed countries have also shifted their focus from concrete structures to bio-engineering methods, which use local materials and are more environmentally friendly.

The use of bio-engineering methods has increased in recent years, particularly in the Tarai region and areas prone to landslides. The government’s multi-year ‘Janatako Tatbandh Program’ under the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation has also started using bio-engineering methods for river erosion control.